Plural hanger apparatus



Nov. 7, 1961 w. E. SHERMAN ETAL 3,007,719

PLURAL HANGER APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1959 doh/7 BeJI/{ZENTORS BY fwd/@i074 Arm/MEV Nov. 7, 1961 w. E. SHERMAN ETAL 3,007,719

PLURAL HANGER APPARATUS /7 W/ an? i. Owe/man dab/7 5e J on IN V EN TOR` NM/C7745 ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1961 w. E. SHERMAN ETAL 3,007,719

PLURAL HANGER APPARATUS Filed July 24. 1959 5 SheelQS-Slleekl 5 www '. J/ze/m an eJon IN VEN TOR.)

BYw/yg United States Patent Office 3,997,719 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 3,007,719 PLURAL HANGER APPARATUS William E. Sherman and John Beson, Houston, Tex., assignor-s to McEvoy Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed .luly 24, 1959, Ser. No. 829,281 14 Claims. (Cl. 285-137) This invention relates to apparatus for supporting conduits, and more particularly to apparatus for supporting parallel, non-concentric vertically disposed conduits such as the tubing strings of a multiple parallel completion well.

A principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus for supporting plural parallelly -disposed conduits.

In recent years, it has been the trend to provide wells, such as oil wells, with a plurality of production tubing strings where the well is in a location above plural separate strata beneath the surface of the earth. Such practice was iirst accomplished by providing a well with plural ooncentrically disposed tubing and casing strings, but because the inner strings were not readily accessible at the well head complete solution of the problem was not obtained. Therefore, attempts were made to complete well with plural parallel tubing strings, but in the earlier of these the separate strings were still not capable of completely independent operation, since with the apparatuses then available one string could not be removed or worked on without disturbing one or more of the other strings.

An example of an early attempt at solving the problems of dual parallel completion wells, perhaps the earliest such attempt, is disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,335,355, issued November 30, 1943, to Penick, et al., and entitled, Producing Equipment for Wells. This attempt incorporated the use of two slip-type tubing supports disposed in non-concentric openings of an adapter member seated in the tubing head, separate tubing head seals being provided for each tubing and for the adapter merriber. The tubings could not be placed closer together in the well than the spacing allowed for the dimensions of the slips and for enough thickness between the tubings for support of both sets of slips, the spacing thereby having a practical irreducible minimum as will be apparent from the structure shown in the patent.

The present invention priovides for very close clearances between multiple parallel tubings in a well, the hangers thereof being tubular and not considerably larger than the tubings themselves, as will be described, and the inventive structure permitting substantially touching side-by-side relation between adjacent hangers should that be desirable in any well application.

Among the desirable attributes of plural parallel string well completions are that each string of tubingshould be independent as to installation, removal, and operation, that each string of tubing should be well supported so that no cocking or tilting of the hanger at the well head will occur which would make difficult the installation of necessary pressure seals and the connections with surmounting equipment, that reception of each tubing string into the well and hanging or supporting thereof at the well head should be readily accomplishable even despite some azimuthal misalignment of the tubing and hanger when lowered into place, and that, when one or more of the tubing strings is removed from the well, ythere should be adequate clearance through the well head opening into the Well for passage of oversize equipment for accomplishing work to be done lower down in the well.

Accordingly, this invention has as additional objects the providing of conduit supporting apparatuses for providing all or some of the described desirable attributes.

Briefly, the apparatuses realized by employment of this invention comprise a well head of conventional form having an opening therethrough into the well and having a seat means therein for bearing the weights of the conduits and hanger apparatus, an adapter bowl member seated at the seat means, and a hanger member for each tubing string capable of engaging with the adapter bowl member to support the tubing string. A seal means disposed above the hanger members cooperates with the well head and hanger members in closing off the upper end of the well around the tubing strings. Flow through and pressures within the tubing strings are controlled by equipment disposed to surmount the well head.

The adapter bowl member of this invention is in a sense analogous to the adapter of Penick et al. Patent Number 2,33 5,355, referred to above. The adapter of Penick et al. and the adapter bowl member of this invention each provides a resting place or support means for plural hanger means each supporting a tubing string in the well. In this case, however, the adapter bowl member is such that when one or more hanger means is removed, there results a passage through the adapter bowl member which is considerably larger than a proportionate area of the adapter bowl member area, `and the hanger means :are of a distinct form not requiring any support whatsoever between adjacent hanger means in the adapter bowl member. The above advantages are mutually dependent, as will be evident from the Penick et al. patent wherein the slip supports for the tubing strings required that the adapter have a solid formation of substantial strength and thickness between the adjacent strings.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGURE l is a vertical cross section of a dual parallel completion well apparatus in a preferred form taken through the vertical axis thereof and through the axes of the two completions thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross section of the apparatus shown in FIGURE l, taken at line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus shown in FIGURES l and 2, taken at line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of internal elements ofthe apparatus of FIGURES 1-4, shown partly disassembled or exploded;

FIGURES 6 and 7 are partial horizontal cross sections of triple completion and quadruple completion forms of apparatus of the FIGURE l-5 embodiments;

FIGURE 8 is a partial horizontal cross section of a second preferred embodiment, taken perpendicularly of the vertical axis of the apparatus, the apparatus being for a dual completion Well and only one hanger thereof being shown, the second preferred embodiment being particularly suited for apparatus of larger size than that of the FIGURE 1-7 embodiment;

FIGURE 9 is a partial vertical cross section of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 8, taken vat line 9--9 of that ligure;

FIGURE 10 is a vertical cross section of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 8-9, taken at line 10-10 of FIGURE 8; and,

FIGURE 1'1 is a partial vertical section taken at the position indicated by line 11--11 in FIGURE 2, showing an alternate form of apparatus.

Referring now to ythe drawings in detail, and iirst to FIGURES 1-7, a tubing head 1G, only the upper portion of which is shown in the drawings, is of generally cylindrical tubular form, and has an outwardly extending circular connection ange 11 around its upper end. The generally cylindrical tubing head opening 12 is concentric with tubing head |10 yand flange 11, and the lower end of opening 12 may be disposed to lead directly downwardly into a well above which the tubing head is mounted,

usually above one or more casing heads (not shown) and sealingly connected therewith.

Opening 12 has an inwardly protruding seat -13 around its side, the seat including a downwardly converging conically tapered lower surface 117. Because the hangers to be later described are disposed closer to the side of opening 12 than the horizontal thickness of seat 13, seat 13 has opposite arcuate cut-outs or recesses 18, 19 where the horizontal thickness of seat 1.3 is decreased, the radially inner faces within the recesses being curved concentrically of the hangers placed therein. The curved inner faces are not shown in the drawings but their form is indicated by the doubleline showing of seat 13 (reference numerals 13, 19) at the lower right-hand portion of FIGURE l, the depth of each of the recesses 18, 19 being equal to the spacing indicated.

A dual bore member 20 is disposed to surmount tubing head 10. Member 20 has a circular connection flange 21 at its lower end which is bolted to ange 11 by a plurality of the bolts 22, the connection flange faces having registering circular grooves 23, 2.4 to receive a steel ring gasket 25 to form a duid-tight seal at the ilange connection. Member 20 has a cylindrical opening 28 from its lower end within groove `23 which corresponds in size with and forms a continuation of the opening 12 of tubing head 10. A pair of cylindrical passages 29, 30, or bores, extend parallelly upwardly from the upper end of opening 28 through member Ztl, each passage 29, 30 having lower and upper counterbores 31, 32, respectively, to forml a zone around the lower end of each passage to receive a sealing or pack-off means.

An adapter bowl 35, best shown in FIGURE 5, is of outward cylindrical form, having a downwardly facing toothed conical shoulder 36 adapted to seat on seating surface 16 of seat 13 around tubing head opening 12. Below shoulder 36, skirt portion 37 of the adapter bowl is of reduced diameter and has opposite side openings 38, 39 therein to permit reception of the hangers therein, similar to the purpose of recesses 18, 19 of seat 13, heretofore described.

Adapter bowl has a vertical opening 40 therethrough of nearly elliptical horizont-al cross section (see FIGURE 2), the `curved sides 41, 42 of the opening overlying side openings 33, 39 o-f skirt 37 and the noncurved sides 43, 44 being oppositely disposed between the curved sides. It will be noted tha-t the curved sides are of irregular curvature, the central portion of each being concentric with a hanger (not yet described) and each terminating toward sides 43, 44 in a portion of larger radius of curvature to meet smoothly with the ends of sides 43, 44.

The wall of opening has slot openings 46, 47, 48, 49 therethrough, each of these slots extending downwardly from the top of adapter bowl 35. Slots 46, 47 are aligned across opening 40, and slots 48, 49 are identically aligned. Each pair of aligned slots is between the axis of the adapter bowl and a cuived side 41, 42 of opening 4d'. The slots have ilat bottoms and sides, and are each beveled at 51, 52 to facilitate entrance of a hanger from above. Opening 4@ is beveled at 53, 54 around its upper edge to facilitate passage of equipment therethrough.

A The bottoms of slots 46-49 are at the same level, somewhat above shoulder 36, s-lots 46, 47 providing support means for one hanger and slots 4S, 49 providing slot means for the other hanger.

Between slots 46, 48, there is a vertical slot 57 in the outer surface of adapter bowl 35. An identical slot 58 is provided between slots 47, 49. 'In each of slots 57, 58, there is iixed, for example by welding, a `key 59, 601, the keys substantially lilling the slots and extending therebelow 'into opposite key recesses or slots 61, 61, vertically through seat 13 when the adapter bowl is seated in the tubing head (only one recess 61 being shown in FIG- URE 3, the other being opposite thereto across opening 12). Keys 59, 60 are beveled at 63 at their sides and at 6e at their outer face to facilitate their entrance into the slots 61 of seat 13 when the adapter bowl is lowered thereonto. Provision of keys 59, 60 and slots 61 provides azimuthal alignment of the adapter bowl with respect with upper equipment at the well head, and determines the azimuthal positions of the tubing strings.

In FIGURE 1l, there is shown a modification of the structures of the aligning keys and slots wherein a key 59a or 60a is welded in place in a slot 61, keys 59a, 60a each having bevels 63a, 64a at their upper sides and inner face, each key entering slot S7 or 58 of the adapter bowl when same is lowered into place.

Tubing strings 65, 66 running into the well are each screwed at their threaded upper ends into a threaded socket 67 forming the lower end of a tubing hanger 68, the two tubing hangers being identical. Each tubing hanger each having an internally threaded socket formation 67 at its lower end to engage the threaded upper end of a string of tubing and an internally threaded socket formation 69 at its upper end to engage a threaded connection member, for example the pipe nipples 71, 72. Each hanger 6 8 has therethrough a flow passage 73, usually cylindrical, extending between the socket portions 67, 69 for fluid flow therethrough. Passage 73 may be provided with circular annular grooves such as grooves 74, 75 to receive and hold in place connection means 76, 77 of a back pressure valve means. 78 shown in dashed line outline form in FIGURE 1. Grooves '74, 75 may be omitted if desired.

Each hanger 68 has a pair of oppositely disposed arms 80, 81 (which are identical). As is best shown in the drawings inF-IGUR'E 5, -anrns 80, 8J. are each formed at the outer surface of the hanger, and protrude outwardly therefrom. As shown, the arms are of substantially rectangular vertical cross sectional shape, the edges 82 thereof being beveled. The outer end 83 of each arm is curved about a vertical axis, although the curved ends perform no function and the arm ends may be any shape. The location of the arms vertically on the hangers and the lengths of the hangers are such that the upper ends of the hangers are level with the upper end of tubing head lll when the hangers are landed with their arms 80, 81 received in a pair of adapter bowl slots 46 and 47 or 48 and 49. The flat bottom arm surfaces flushly engage the flat bottoms of the slots, so that the hangers are supported in the adapter bowl with no tendency to tilt or rock. Usually some clearance is allowed between the ends of the arms and the outer ends of the slots. The tubings 65, 66 secured to the hangers are, there-fore, automatically positioned with their axes vertically disposed, and there is no tendency for either the tubings or the hangers t0 assume non-vertical dispositions. Moreover, the widths of arms ^80, 81 correspond relatively closely with the widths of slots 46-49, although the arms are freely movable in the slots, so that any substantial movement of an arm to tilt or assume angular position in a slot would be prevented.

The arms 80, 81 of each hanger (see FIGURE 2, particularly), as has been said, closely but freely tit in the slots, and also have some clearance at ltheir outer ends in the slots. Preferably, the hanger sides t against opening sides 41, 42 while the inward arm sides are ilush against the corresponding dat inner sidesrof the slots Li6--49. The arm bot-toms are, of course, flush against the flat slot bottoms. Thus, any tendency of a hanger to tilt or cock is prevented.

Referring again to adapter bowl 35, best shown in the drawings in FIGURES 2 and 5, it will be observed that at the curved sides 41, 42 of opening 40, the thickness of the adapter bowl wall is very thin and, therefore, of low strength. The adapter bowl wall would be subject to distortion and failure were it not for the provision of the teeth on toothed conical shoulder 36 of the adapter bowl. The weight of la long tubing string, of sometimes 15,000

68 is a cylindrical tubular body of elongate form,Y

feet or more in length, transferred through a hanger 68 to bear on the bottoms of a pair of slots 46 and 47 or 48 and 49, results in a tendency for the portions of the shoulder 36 beneath the slots to slip down on seat surface 16 of seat 13. To the tubing load, there is also usually added a pack off load, the pack off load usually being larger than the tubing load. The pack olf load on the hanger apparatus is created when (see FIGURE l) iluid pressure to test the joints and seals is introduced into the interior of the connection between tubing head and dual bore member 20. This pressured test fluid is introduced to above the hanger seal means (not yet described) and acts `downwardly on the seal means over its full area thereby causing a large downward force On the adapter bowl. This force acts with the tubing weight to cause downward slippage of adapter bowl 35 on seat surface 16 of seat 13. Should this slippage occur, it would result in an inward bending of the adapter bowl wall at its points of weakness at the curved ends 41, 42 of opening 40, since the slippage would occur to both sides of those parts of the adapter bowl.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 4, but also to the other drawings, shoulder 36 is provided with teeth 87 which function as means for preventing slippage of shoulder 36 upon seating surface 16 of the tubing head. Teeth 87 may be of any suitable fonm to perform their desired function. As has been described, the weight of a tubing string supported by a hanger 68, the arms 80, 81 of which are landed and rest in a pair of slots 46 and 47 or 43 and 49, and the force of the pack off load, cause a strong downward force on adapter bowl 35, particularly adjacent the slots. Under high load, adapter bowl 35 is exible, so that the downward force thereon rwill tend to cause a downward movement of the adapter bowl shoulder 36 on seating lsurface 16, the downward movement tendency being greatest adjacent the slots. 'I'he teeth 87 prevent any such movement, and therefore, pro vent the consequent failure of adapter bowl 35 adjacent opening sides 41, 42.

Teeth 87 are preferably of a lform to engage surface 16 and prevent slippage of shoulder 36 downwardly and inwardly thereon upon initial contact. A form fulfilling this requirement is shown in FIGURE 4, teeth 87 being shown as sharp, downwardly directed teeth. The downwardly directed tooth form disposes the sharp tooth edges to bite downwardly into surface 16 as the hanger, supporting the tubing load, is landed, usually with impact. The downwardly directed tooth form resists downward and inward sliding motion of the teeth on surface 16, but disengagement of the teeth upwardly is not thereby prevented. [Other forms of teeth 87 which will perform the desired function will be known to those skilled in the art, and it is contemplated that all such will be useful in practice of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 and 7, there are shown triple completion and quadruple completion adaptations of the dual apparatus embodiment of FIGURES l-5.

In FIGURE 6, showing the triple completion form, the tubing head 10 has seated therein an adapter bowl 35a having therethrough an opening 40a having three arcuate sides 41a, 41h, 41e, each of which is analogous to the adapter bowl opening sides 41, 42 in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, the arcuate sides being adjacent in this form so that opening sides corresponding to sides 43', 44 are absent. Adapter bowl 35a has pairs of aligned slots 46a and 47a, 46b and 47bm abd 46c abd 47C, each of which corresponds to one of the slot pairs46-47 or 48-49 of FIG- URES 2, 3 and 5. Because of the triangular `arrangement, the outer ends of slots 46a and 47c,.46b and 47a, and 46c and 47b coincide. A hanger 68 carrying a tubing string in the well is supported in each slot pair 46a and 47a, 46b and 47b, 46c and 47a` as heretofore described for the dual completion apparatus.

In FIGURE 7, showing the quadruple completion form, the tubing head l10 lhas seated therein an adapter bowl 35d having therethrough an opening 40d having four 6 arcuate sides 41d, 41e, 41j, 41g, each of which is analogous to the adapter bowl opening sides 41, 42 in FIG- URES l, 2 and 5. Adapter bowl 35d has pairs of aligned slots 46d and 47d, 46e and 47e, 46j and 47j, 46g and 47g, each of which corresponds to one of the slot pairs 46-47 or 4849 of FIGURES 2, 3 and 5. VBecause of the quadrangular arrangement, the outer ends of slots 46d and 47g, 46e and 47d, 46f and 47e, 46g and 47f cross. A hanger 68 carrying a tubing string in the well is supported in each slot pair 46d and 47d, 46e and 47e, 46j and 47j, 46g and 47g as heretofore described for the dual and triple completion apparatuses.

Referring now again to FIGURE l, it was previously stated that the upper ends of the hangers 68 are at the level of the upper surface of tubing head 10. A fluidtight seal between the hangers 68 and the side of opening 12 is provided by a lower compression plate or ring 9G, a seal disc or ring 91 of elastomeric material, and an upper compression plate or ring 92. Although elements -92 are not truly rings, each having two or more hanger openings therethrough instead of lthe usual single opening of a ring, they are referred to as rings because they correspond to the true ring elements of similar single completion apparatus.

The upper outer edge of upper compression ring 92 is beveled at 93 to provide a surface for engagement by the radially inner ends of a plurality of lockscrews 94 radially disposed through flange 11. "i'he lockscrews may be moved radially inwardly against beveled surface 93, thereby moving upper compression ring 92 downwardly to cornpress sealing ring 91 to cause it to form a seal against the outer surfaces of hangers 68 and the tubing head at the wall of opening 12. In FIGURE 3, there is shown a tapped opening 95 in the upper surface of upper compression ring 93` which may be engaged by a suitable handling tool to lower or pick up the seal elements. Also, shown in FIGURE 3 is a screw 96 which passes through a suitable opening in upper compression plate '92 and has its head seated in a counterbore thereof, through sealing ring 91, and is screwed into a suitable tapped opening in lower compression plate 90. One or more screws 96 serve to hold the sealing elements together as a unit for installation or removal.

Adapter bowl 35 has two tapped openings 97 (FIG- URES 2 and 3) in its upper surface between slots 46, 48 and between slots 47, 49 for handling of the adapter bowl with a suitable handling too.

Each arm 80", 81 of the hangers 68 has a counterbored screw opening 98 vertically therethrough to receive a screw 99 which may extend into a suitable tapped opening provided in the bottom of each of the slots 46-49, and 46a-g, 47a-g of the triple and quadruple forms. The adapter bowl may thereby be connected to one hanger 68 and lowered therewith to its position on seating surface 16. Similarly, the hangers 68 have circular grooves 108' around their upper ends to receive a snap :ring 161 so that the sealing elements 90--92 may be carried to position with one of the hangers 68.

The pipe nipples 71, 72, each screwed into one of the hangers 68 at its socket 69, each extend above tubing head 10 into one of the openings 29, 39 of member 20. Nipples 71, 72 terminate upwardly in counterbores 3,2 of openings 2.9, 3b. In each of counterbores 31 of openings 29, 30 there is provided an upper retainer ring 1015 which engages the upper end of counterbore 31, a ring 166 of sealing material, a lower retainer ring 167, and a tubular packing sleeve or collar 108. A compression plate 109 movably disposed horizontally in opening 28 receives the lower ends of collars 168 in recesses around nipple openings 111, 11.2 therethrough. Plate 109 has lower outer bevel surface 114 engaged by the inner ends of a plurality of lockscrews 115 radially disposed through ange 21. Inward movement of the lockscrews urges plate 109 upwardly to compress rings 106 around nipples 71, 72 to form `Huid-tight seals therearound in counterbores 31.

Member 20 may be any desired device for controlling and directing ilow through hangers 68 and tubing strings 65, 66. Y Usually member 25 will comprise a dual bore valve with valves (not shown) for separately controlling uid flow through passages 29, 38 thereof.

It has been indicated that the FIGURE l-7 embodiment of the invention is the form used for smaller sizes of tubing strings, and that the FIGURE 8li0 embodiment is the form used for 'larger sizes of tubing strings. It will be apparent, after the FIGURE 8-10 embodiment has been described, that the principal reason for the differences in structure between the two embodiments is that, in smaller sizes, the adapter bowl wall is weak at sides 41, 42 of opening 47, while in larger sizes, this weakness does not occur.

Referring now to FIGURES 840, the tubing head 210` has connection ilange 211 formed around its upper end, and has vertical opening 212 therethrough, of generally cylindrical form. Opening 212 is provided with inwardly projecting circular `annular seat 213 therearound, same having downwardly converging conical upper seating surface 216 and upwardly converging conical lower surface 217.

Above seat 213, and spaced below the upper end of the tubing head, there is an annular circular shoulder 220, which is conical yand downwardly converging, and which faces upwardly. A well head member, such as member 20 of FIGURE l, surmounts tubing head 210, being secured to ilange 211 as described for the other embodiment, and as is customary in the art.

An adapter bowl 235, corresponding to adapter bowl 35, is seated at its shoulder 236 on seating surface 216, shoulder 236 being an annular circular downwardly facing shoulder having a taper corresponding with the taper of surface 216. A continuous skirt 237 of outwardly reduced diameter depends from adapter bowl 235 below shoulder 236 and ts within seat `213 below seating surface 216.

Opening 24) vertically through adapter bowl 235 (see FIGURE 8) has side wall portions 2.41, 242 curved concentrically with the hangers, to be described, and side wall portions 243, 244 each oppositely between side portions 241, 242, which are plane at their intermediate portions and which curve inwardly to meet wall portions 241, 242.

The wall of adapter bowl 235 surrounding opening 240 has slots 246, 247, 248, 249 therethrough fromits upper end, each slot having a plane bottom and sides. Slots 246, 247 are aligned across opening 240* as are slots 248, 249. Both aligned pairs or sets of slots are spaced from the vertical axis of the adapter bowl toward one of the opening wall portions 241, 242. The upper sides of the slots are beveled or chamfered at 251, 252, as `are the upper sides of opening 24@ at 253, 254, to form surfaces for guiding elements lowered from above thereinto or therethrough Key recesses 257, 258 are formed at opposite outer surfaces of the adapter bowl, these each opening at outer and lower surfaces of the adapter bowl. Recess 257 is centered between slots 246, 247 and recess 258 is centered between slots 248, 249. Keys 259, 260 are secured therein by welding, for example, the keys extending below the lower edges of the adapter bowl to be received in oppositely disposed slots 261, 262 vertically through seat 213 from the inner surface thereof. Keys 259', 266` may, alternatively, be welded or formed in slots 261, 262 to be received into recesses 257, 258 of the adapter bowl, this being analogous to the form of the FIGURE 1 5 embodiment shown in FIGURE 1l. These keys and slots, regardless of which form thereof is employed, serve as means for azimuthally aligning the adapter bowl in tub ing head 21). Keys 259, 26@ have chamfered entrance surfaces 263, 264 to enable them to enter slots 257, 258 with some misalignment upon their approach thereinto.

A pair of hangers 268, which are identical, each having ,lower and upper internal threaded socket formations (not shown) corresponding to sockets 67, 69 of hangers 68, are seated in adapter bowl 235 at aligned slots 246447 and 248-249 thereof. Hangers 268 each have a cylindrical opening 273 vertically axially therethrough between the connection sockets. A well pipe may be supported from the lower socket of each hanger 268, and a pipe nipple connection with upper equipment may be made at the upper socket of each hanger 268, these portions of the apparatus corresponding to elements 65, 66, 71, 72 of FIGURE l of the lirst-described embodiment. Back pressure valve recesses corresponding to recesses 74, 75 of FIGURE l may likewise be included.

Only one hanger 268 is shown in FIGURES 8-10, the other being disposed in accordance with the rst-described embodiment.

Each hanger 268 has a pair of oppositely disposed side arms 280, 281, corresponding to arms 80, 81 of hangers 68, these each having beveled side surfaces 282 and curved end surface 283 to facilitate entrances thereof into the slots of the adapter bowl.

The seal for the FIGURE 8-10 embodiment includes a lower compression ring 290, a sealing ring 291 of elasto meric material, and an upper compression ring 292 having bevel surface 293 for engagement by the inner ends of a plurality of lockscrews 294 disposed radially through tiange 211. Lower compression ring 290 does not rest on the upper surface, of adapter bowl 235, as does lower compression ring of the FIGURE 1-5 embodiment, but instead is seated upon shoulder 228'. Shoulder 220, therefore, supports the pack off load. A circular annular shoulder 29011 is formed around the radially outer side of ring 290, shoulder 290a corresponding in taper with shoulder 220 upon which it seats to support the sealing assembly. Inward movement of the lockscrews 294 against surface 293 of upper compression ring 292 causes downward movement of ring 292 to axially compress sealing ring 291, which thereby is expanded against tubing head 210 and the hangers 268 forming an effective uidtight seal in opening 212.

Tapped openings 295 for securing suitable handling tools are provided in the upper surface of upper compression ring 292, elements 290-292 being held together as a unit by screws 296 received in suitable openings through elements 291, 292 and screwed into suitable tapped openings in the upper surface of lower compression ring 290 as shown in FIGURE 10. Tapped openings 297 for securing suitable handling tools are provided in the upper surface of adapter bowl 235. A circular groove 300 is provided about each hanger 268 to receive a snap-ring 301 for holding the seal elements for lowering thereof into the tubing head with either hanger 268. Set screws 302 each received in a horizontal tap 303 through the adapter bowl at the outer side of each slot 246-249 can be tightened to bear against the hanger arms, so that the adapter bowl may be secured to either hanger to be lowered therewith into position in the tubing head.

It will be realized that apparatus for supporting more than two strings of tubing may be provided according to the FIGURE 8-10 embodiment of the invention by modifying the apparatus Vshown in FIGURES 8-10 according to the FIGURE 6-7 forms of the FIGURE l-5 embodiment. It has been indicated that either forms of apparatus may have the azimuthal adapter bowl aligning keys either on the adapter bowl or in the tubing head.

All of the stated desirable attributes, objects, and advantages of the invention are fulfilled by either embodiment of the invention. In either embodiment, each string of tubing is capable of independent installation, removal, and operation; each string of tubing is supported so that no cooking or tilting of the hanger at the well head will occur; the installation of the seal elements is facilitated since the hangers are disposed vertically in the tubing head in predetermined non-concentric positions; connections of the hangers with surmounting equipment is, for the same reasons, facilitated; entry of the hangers is easily accomplished since the hangers do not fit side-byside into a confining bowl space within the tubing head, which would make difficult the landing of second or later hangers if hangers in place were slightly misaligned; the plural hangers are interchangeable and the adapter bowl may be azimuthally reversed; and the openings provided through adapter bowl openings 40, 240, etc., are adequate for passage of virtually any tools therethrough when one or more of the hangers are removed. i

Also, it Will be apparent that the hangers of either invention embodiment may be made to be substantially in parallel touching relation, this, together with the narrow tubular forms of the hangers, permitting very close spacing of the hangers and of the tubings in the well.

Because of the thin adapter bowl walls resulting in small equipment sizes, the FIGURE lembodiment will be most useful whenever that condition prevails; on the other hand, should the adapter bowl walls be sufficiently strong at all areas after the openings 40, 240 areformed for any combination of equipment sizes, then the FIGURE 8-10 embodiment will often be preferred. In either form each tubing string is supported by the hanger arms along an area encompassing the tubing and hanger axes, so that the support is firm, sure and dependable.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, many modifications thereof may be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it isintended to protect by Letters Patent all forms of the invention falling within the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

l. Pipe support apparatus for supporting a plurality of parallel non-concentric pipes, comprising a body having a generally cylindrical vertical opening therethrough and an upwardly facing seat around the sides of said opening, a substantially ning shaped adapter bowl having a lower surface seated upon said seat and having a plurality of seat means in its upper surface, and a plurality of hanger means each having opposite lateral projections seated upon one of said seat means of said adapter bowl, each said hanger means comprising a vertically disposed tubular body having pipe connection means around its lower end.

2. Apparatus for supporting a plurality of parallel nonconcentric conduits, comprising a head means having an opening therethrough, a seat formed in said head means around the sides of said opening and facing one end of said opening, a member disposed within said opening and against said seat, said member having an opening therethrough providing communication therepast between the ends of said head means opening, said member having a plurality of pairs of slots laterally thereacross at its end toward said one head means opening end, the slots of each said pair of slots being aligned across said member opening, a hanger body with-in said member opening between the slots of each said pair of aligned slots and having opposite arm portions thereof extending into said slots, each said hanger body including connection means for connection therewith of a conduit extending therefrom through said other end of said head means opening.

3. The combination of claim 2, said member having a thin-walled portion bounding said member opening adjacent each said hanger body therein, said member including a shoulder therearound disposed against said seat, said shoulder having formed thereon friction increasing means for engaging said seat upon initial contact therewith, whereby slippage of said member on said seat caused by the weight of said extending conduit being supported by a said hanger body and said member is prevented thereby preventing distortion of said member and failure thereof at said thin-walled portions.

4. Apparatus for supporting a plurality of parallel nonconcentric pipes in a well, comprising a well head having a vertical opening therethrough providing access therethrough into a well above which Said well head is supported, upwardly facing seat means formed in said well head around the sides of said opening, a member in said opening upon said seat means, a vertical opening through said member, a plurality of pairs of slots in the upper end of said member, the slots of each said pair of slots being disposed at opposite sides of said member opening, a hanger body within said member opening between the slots of each said pair of slots and having opposite arm portions thereof extending into said slots, each said hanger body including connection means for connection therewith and support of a pipe extending therefrom into the well.

5. The combination of claim 4, said hanger bodies being disposed closely adjacent in said member opening and each closely adjacent a side of said well head opening, said member being thin wailed adjacent each said hanger body, said member having a downwardly facing shoulder seated upon said upwardly facing seat means around said well head opening, said downwardly facing shoulder having formed thereon frictional engagement means for biting into said seat means upon contact therewith whereby downward movement of said member on said seat means caused by the weights of said pipes transmitted thereto by said hanger bodies is prevented thereby preventing resultant bending stress of said member at said thin walled portions thereof.

6. The combination of cla-im 4, said well head comprising a tubing head having a vertical opening of circular horizontal cross section therethrough, said upwardly facing seat means being an annular conical seat formed in said tubing head around said circular opening, said niember comprising an adapter bowl having a surrounding conical shoulder seated upon said tubing head seat and said vertical opening thereof having a plurality of arcuate side recess means each receiving a side of a said hanger body disposed in said member opening, there being a said pair of slots operatively disposed with regard to each said arcuate side recess means having one slot thereof to each side of the arcuate side recess means whereby each said hanger body is disposed in one of said arcuate side recess means with its said arm portions in said slots to each side thereof.

7. The combination of claim 6, said arm portions of each said hanger body each having a itat horizontal bottom surface and flat vertical side surfaces, said slots each having correspondingly a flat horizontal bottom surface and :hat vertical side surfaces each to receive one of said arm portions with no tendency of the yarm portion to tilt or cock therein, whereby each said hanger body is supported in predetermined position with no tendency to tilt or cock.

8. The combination of claim 7, each said hanger body comprising a cylindrically formed tubular body having at each of opposite sides thereof a said arm portion.

9. The combination of claim 8, including a lower compression plate within said tubing head opening supported on said `adapter bowl, a sealing member of elastomeric material overlying said -lower compression pilate, an upper compressi-on plate overlying said sealing member, ali of said sealing member and compression plates being Within said tubing head opening and each said hanger body extending therethrough, and means: disposed through said tubing head and operable from exterior of said tubing head for causing downward movement of said upper compression pl-ate to axially compress said sealing member between said compression plates to form a fluid-tight seal between said tubing head land each said hanger body.

l0. The combination of claim 9, including means for holding said compression pla-tes and sealing member together as a unit, means for securing said unit to any of said hanger bodies, and means for securing said adapter bowl to any of said hanger bodies.

l1. The combination of claim 6, said tubing head including a second upwardly facing seat around said tubing head opening spaced above said `annular conical. seat', aA lower compression plate within said tubing head opening supported onV said second seat, a sealingmemberof elastomeric'material overlying said lower compression plate, an upper compression plate overlying saidV sealing member, all of' said sealing member and compression plates being within said ,tubing head opening and each said hanger body extending therethrough, and means operable from exterior of said tubing head for causing downward movement of saidupper compression plate. to axial-ly compress said sealingrnernber between said compression plates to form `a Huid-tight seal between said tubing head and each said hanger body.

12.V The combination of claim 11, including means #for holding said compression plates and sealing member to` gether asV a unit, means for securing said unit to any of said hanger bodies, and means lfor securing said adapter having aY ventical ope-ning therethrough, a plurality of' lateral slots in the upper endof said member in aligned pairs. across said opening, apipehanger in said opening 12' between each said aligned pair of slots having opposite, portions thereof extending intol said slots, each said pipe hanger having means for connection therewith of a pipe extending vertically therebelow.

14. Plural pipe support apparatus, comprising all,`

adapter bowl seatable in `a vertical opening of a well head, Ia vertical opening through said adapter bowl, a plurality of pairs of lateral recesses `aligned across said adapter `bowl opening each extending downwardly from the upper end of said adapter bowl [and each terminating above the lower end' of said adapter bowl, a separate hanger means in said adapter lbowl opening for eachY said; pair of lateral recesses having support arms thereof extending into said recesses, a flowway vertically through, each said hanger means having pipe connection means` at its lower end whereby a pipe may be supported vertically: beneath each said hanger means and whereby iluid ow communication exists through the pipe and hanger means` iiowway.

VReferences, Cited in the le of thisV patent UNITEDV STATES PATENTS Besen Mar. 28, 1961 

